May 3, 2023

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in this issue:

1. 2023 Global Citizen Award Winners
2. End of Semester Reminders
3. Graduating Students- Important Tax Info to Ensure You Get Your 2023 W-2
4. Access to UH&CS Over the Summer
5. OPT & CPT Workshops
6. OPT & STEM OPT Students- Follow These Simple Steps for Reporting Updates
7. How to Request a Cap-Gap I-20
8. Support Resources
9. The Safe Eight- Safety Tips
10. ISSNews Summer Schedule
11. Features
12. Campus Happenings
13. Other Opportunities
14. Good Vibes Only

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ISS staff members are here to support you! 

Please visit our website to learn about the advising options that are available and connect with us so that we can assist you.

End of Semester Reminders

If you have thoughts about traveling abroad during the break, be sure to ask yourself these questions:

Do I need to extend my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section. Undergraduates, be sure to list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies (This is not Dean Wolcowitz.  If you don't know who your dean is, email ugstudies@case.edu to ask) on your request and graduate students, you should list your academic advisor.

Do I need to transfer my F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section.

Do I need to get a new travel signature on my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, you can read about that process and other factors related to travel and reentry for F-1 and J-1 students.

Also,

• be aware of all travel-related policies. Be sure that you are monitoring all requirements for entry to the United States and complying with university policies related to returning to campus.  **If you have any doubts or concerns about your ability to return to the United States by the start of the next semester, ISS recommends that you consider remaining in the United States and not traveling abroad.**
• check the validity of the visa in your passport. Some US Embassies and Consulates still have limited services available and there could be significant delays in visa issuances. This delay could significantly affect your ability to return to the United States.
• make sure your passport is valid at all times. Please prepare as early as possible if you need to apply for a new passport.  There are certain benefits for which F-1 students apply when they are in the United States and the agencies that oversee those benefits often require applicants to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future.

Do you have more questions that you need help answering? Get in touch with ISS staff during advising hours or by email before you leave campus.

Graduating Students- Important Tax Info to Ensure You Get Your 2023 W-2

When CWRU generates your W-2 for the 2022 tax filing year, it will be sent to your Permanent Address as listed in SIS. Please take a moment to verify that your correct Permanent Address is listed in SIS (make any updates as needed by December 15) to ensure that you'll receive your W-2.

If your Permanent Address is current, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, it is necessary for you to include that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS no later than December 15. Using the W-2 Override function will maintain the integrity of your Permanent Address information and ensure that you receive your W-2 at the different, preferred address.

Remember it is your responsibility to file taxes each year and that W-2 is a critical document for that process.

Please contact Payroll if you have questions about receiving your W-2.

How to Request a Cap-Gap I-20

If you've properly filed for a change of status to H-1B or been selected to receive an H-1B, you may be eligible for the cap-gap extension. To qualify for the H-1B cap-gap extension:

• a petition must be timely filed
• the employment start date of October 1 of the current year must be requested
• a change of status must be requested
• there may be no violations of current F-1 status

The cap-gap extension automatically extends a student's duration of status (time period during which an F-1 student is legally present) in the United States. If a student is on a period of valid post-completion OPT at the time the H-1B petition is filed, employment authorization is also extended. For students who complete their period of valid post-completion OPT and are on their 60 day grace period at the time the H-1B petition is timely filed, their duration of status will also be extended, but does not extend any kind of work authorization during that time.

ISS can help you obtain a cap-gap I-20 if you meet all of the above criteria. Below is some information about our policies for creating your cap-gap I-20.

Please be aware that ISS is not provided any advanced notification of an H-1B petition being selected. SEVIS only contains H-1B information once the USCIS system called CLAIMS properly updates it. CLAIMS also updates the SEVP Portal; students have access to the exact information that staff does.

ISS' ability to generate a cap-gap I-20 is completely dependent on the SEVIS record being properly updated by USCIS' CLAIMS. Cap-gap functionality in SEVIS is directly linked to information being properly transferred from CLAIMS and a student's SEVIS record indicating that the petition is either pending or approved. When the transfer of information and functionality are working properly, a cap-gap I-20 can be provided within about 5 business days. To initiate the request for your cap-gap I-20:

• Log in to Terra Dotta via www.visas.case.edu
• click on this link.
• Complete the electronic form and upload all of the necessary materials. ISS must have these items on file in order to process your request.
• Wait to hear from ISS. Please be very mindful of both your timing of this request and the timing that ISS requires (5-7 business days) to process the required paperwork for you. This is an extremely busy time in our office and we appreciate your patience!

In cases where a student has received either receipt information or an approval notice for the H-1B petition but CLAIMS has not properly updated the SEVIS record, an I-20 cannot be generated by ISS since the option to create the I-20 is actually not available in the computer system. A manual update to fix the data must be requested by ISS. These data fixes can take several weeks, even months, before they're resolved and before ISS will initiate one, the student must discuss the process with an advisor.

Once ISS is able to prepare a student's cap-gap I-20, an advisor will send an email when it's ready. If ISS is unable to prepare the cap-gap I-20 for any reason, an advisor will contact the student via email to discuss next steps.

ISSNews Summer Schedule

After Commencement, ISS will continue to publish and send ISSNews to all international students, but not every Wednesday since activity slows significantly during the summer.  Please continue to check your CWRU email regularly and read through any ISSNews publications that we do send out. They will include information that is important to be aware of as student visa holders!

ISS will resume its weekly ISSNews publication in August as we all prepare for the Fall semester.

Features

Campus Happenings

Graduation Celebrations

EVENT 8th Annual Latinx/Hispanic Graduation Ceremony Tuesday, May 16 11:00am - 1:00pm Private Location (sign in to display) Link Add to Google Cal,Outlook,Yahoo,iCal Latinx Graduation is a pre-commencement ceremony that recognizes, celebrates, and honors the undergraduate and graduate & professional Latinx Graduates. It is an outstanding accomplishment for our Latinx students to receive academic degrees, and increase representation of Latinx professionals in academia and industry in the United States. We are very proud and want to recognize our Latinx graduates for their accomplishments. This invite is not only extended to graduating students, but also to their family, and friends. Fill out this form for stole selection to https://forms.gle/uY3v4VtzQjjbARur6 by April 23rd. Guests only need to register for the event and do NOT fill out the form. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Camila, cir11@case.edu. We look forward to celebrating with you! RSVP

EVENT 8th Annual Black Graduation Tuesday, May 16 6:00pm - 8:00pm Private Location (sign in to display) Link Add to Google Cal,Outlook,Yahoo,iCal Join us for our 8th Annual BSU Black Graduation, as we celebrate the 2023 graduating class of Black undergraduate and graduate students from Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. There will be a ceremony program followed by a reception with refreshments. We hope to see you there! RSVP

Connect with Case Iranian Society!

Other Opportunities

Good Vibes Only

In this section, we are including some things that we hope will make you laugh and smile, help you relax, be entertaining, give you something to do, etc.

This is a good vibes only section and we're sending them out to you!